The Physical Environment

Improved Essays
The physical environment supports the Developmental Appropriate Practice Principals of, “all areas of development and learning are important” and “Play is an important vehicle for developing self-regulation and promoting language, cognition and social competence” ” (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2009). However it does not support the principal, “development and learning occur in and are influenced by multiple social and cultural contacts” (NAEYC, 2009).
The physical indoor environment supports the principal of “all areas of development and learning are important” (NAEYC, 2009) as it is set up to include several different areas of learning and development. Each section provides experiences and opportunities to develop
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There are spaces for individual play as well as spaces for small and large group activities this helps to promote social skills and self –regulation. The physical space provides opportunity for children to play in different sized groups which help to develop their ability to work with others and problem solve together. As well they can learn from one another and gain greater peer relations. I observed this happening outside when a small group of children worked together to fill the playhouse up with toys. When they ran out of blocks they discussed what else to use and came up with the idea to using the train …show more content…
For example child sized furniture as well as the materials and wall covering at the child’s level. As well the environment was set up in sections each with a clear purpose and promoted different learning and development opportunities. Furthermore, the physical environment includes the elements like “amount of space, access to outdoors, arrangement of rooms, availability of variety of materials, air quality, equipment and lighting” argued by Friendly and Beach (2005) to be important to children’s health but also to their “well-being, happiness and creativity, their learning to live in and with the natural environment and their cognitive and social development” (p. 5). I believe that because of a lack of resources and funding, having a physical environment that clearly shows all the principals of developmentally appropriate environment would be is challenging for all centers. However, I feel this environment included many of the elements making it a development appropriate

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